How to Be a Traveling Hairstylist
For all who absolutely dread taking a trip to the salon to get their hair cut and styled, a traveling hairstylist is a godsend. Unlike other hairdressers, the traveling hairstylist will come to your home or other location instead of forcing you to come to the salon. Becoming a traveling hairstylist requires the same professional training as salon hairdressers, but the method of procuring new clients is a bit different.
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Things You'll Need
- Cosmetology license
- Employer identification number
- Hairstyling equipment
- Business cards
Instructions
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Obtain a cosmetology license in your state. Qualifications will differ from state to state, but most require that a hairdresser be a high school graduate who has attended some form of secondary education in cosmetology. Most often, this is not done at a formal college but rather a vocational training school. To obtain a license as a cosmetologist in your state, you will need to take a board examination which will involve both written and skills testing.
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Maintain your license. Once you have secured your license, your state may require that you renew it periodically. You are prohibited from practicing hairstyling and personal care on others if your license is expired.
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Develop a business plan. If you plan on working as a traveling hairstylist alone with no other employees, you may choose to work as a sole proprietorship and use your Social Security number as your company tax number. However, if you plan to include an assistant or any other employees whom you must pay, you must obtain an employer identification number for tax filing purposes. This protects you and your employees by separating your personal finances from those of the business.
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Purchase equipment. The traveling hairstylist does not have most of the necessary hairstyling equipment at each client's home. You will be required to bring with you everything you need, including mobile hair dryers, scissors, clips and other hair accessories.
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Develop a marketing strategy. As a traveling hairstylist, you do not have the luxury of a permanent store with a sign overhead coaxing customers in for a new hairdo. Therefore, you must create a way to meet new customers. Purchase business cards with your contact information on them and bring them everywhere you go. Hand them out to anyone you might meet because anyone could be a potential customer.
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References
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